Upcoming Meetings

The Journalism Alumni Club meets the second Thursday of each month at 12:30 pm in the Alumni Center. Please join us! For more information, please contact the Alumni Association at alumniassociation@memphis.edu or 901/678-2586.

Recent Events

2012 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Thank you to everyone who attended and to our guest speaker, Otis Sanford, former Commercial Appeal editor, current U of M professor and Hardin Chair of Excellence in Journalism. Also, we appreciate Action News 5 anchor Joe Birch for emceeing the event. The Charles E. Thornton Award was presented to Battle Vaughan (BS '65) and Rikki Boyce (BA '74). Gilbert Michael received the Herbert Lee Williams Award and Gary Parrish (BA '99) was presented with the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Chelsea Boozer, current editor of The Daily Helmsman, received the Emerging Journalist Award.

Centennial Reunion Weekend Events
The Daily Helmsman Former Newspaper Staff Reunion
The Journalism Alumni Club hosted a reunion for former student newspaper and yearbook staff members during the Centennial Reunion Weekend. The weekend's events included a panel discussion of former newspaper editors on First Amendment issues they encountered at the University. Guests were invited to observe classes in the Meeman Journalism Building on Friday, and then attended the unveiling of the Bronze Tiger Statue. The Club hosted a reception at the Fox & Hound Friday night and a dinner at Corky's BBQ on Saturday evening. Click here to view photos from dinner on Friday.

Outstanding Journalism Alumni Awards Dinner
The Journalism Club held its annual Outstanding Alumni Awards Dinner in late October. The Charles E. Thornton Award was presented to Will King (BA '74) of CNN and journalist Richard Copley (BS '69). The Herbert Lee Williams Award was given to former professor L. Dupre Long. Also, the inaugural Outstanding Young Alumni Award was presented to author Johanna Edwards (BA '01). John Martin received the Emerging Journalist Award. The program featured guest speaker Natalie Allen, anchor for CNN International and former co-anchor for WREG-TV Memphis. Emmy Award-winning meteorologist Ron Childers from Action News 5 was the emcee for the evening. Click here to view photos from the event.

All funds raised from the banquets are placed into a scholarship fund, as the Journalism Club works toward the establishment of an endowed Journalism Alumni Scholarship.

Message from Lesley

Click here to view a message from Lesley Adkins (BA '99, MA '01), President of the Journalism Alumni Club, that was recorded at the 2011 Vision Forum.

Get Involved

• The Journalism Alumni Club, the School of Journalism and the University of Memphis wants to keep up with your employment and contact information. Please log on to the Alumni and Friends Self Service at my.memphis.edu to update your records today!

• For more information or to get involved in the Journalism Alumni Club, contact Alumni Coordinator Shannon Miller at semiller@memphis.edu or 901/678-3043.

Club Leadership List

• Lesley Adkins (BA '99, MA '01), President:
  lesley.adkins@stjude.org
• Marcus Matthews (BA '03, MAT '08), Vice-President:
  mlmtthws@memphis.edu
• Kini Kedigh Plumlee (B.A. '76), Secretary:
  plumleek@lebonheur.org
• Greg Nelson (BA '88), Treasurer
  gregsnelson1@aol.com

The Journalism Alumni Club is on Facebook!
Keep up-to-date on upcoming events by our Facebook Group!